Happy New Year 2010!!!!!

Days before celebrating Christmas with my family in Durango, Mexico, I was asked to do a photoshoot for a local magazine cover, the January cover. I had to come up with a concept in one day and with my sister's ideas, we planned in going to "El Cerro" (the hill) where you can overlook the entire city. The temperature was about 40 degrees with trecherous winds. Being from Chicago, that was perfect working temperature for me but not for the model, assitants, magazine editor and anyone else that decided to stay around to watch the photoshoot so I had to work really fast (but I'm sure everybody felt it like hours!) I wanted to have sparkles in the model's hands and a champagne glass. Well, they didn't get there on time and luckly, we had wine glasses in the car and the modle brought her own bottle of Champagne, since her family owns a liquour store, that was most convinient.
I also photographed an engagement session of one of my sister's couples, since I was already there, well, why not! They looked superb in their evening attire, so appropriate for "El Cerro" and the night skyeline of the city.

Anna Fong, The Wit Hotel and Me

This past weekend an extraordinary team came together to create a fashion shoot for Chicago Designer Anna Fong, http://www.anna-fong.com/. Her line of custom desinged cocktail and evening dresses and her recently added custom made wedding gowns were photographed at the extrahordinary Wit Hotel, State and Lake. Thanks so much to Mark Shouger and Michelle at The Roof for letting us use this fantastic location and for being so kind to us. It was a long day but we all had a good time, the models were actual brides for whom Anna designed wedding gowns this past season and were very willing and excited to get to wear their gowns again. Another model was Laura, a bride of mine that will be getting married next season and professional model Callie Edwards, an extraordinary model indeed, I felt intimidated by her!

A great competition experience

I have actively been submitting images for competition at different professional associations and these are some of the images that got a degree of recognition.

This image won a Merit of Excellence at the 1st Annual Photography Seminar in Mazatlan, Mexico sponsored by SMFP, Mexican association of profesional photographers.

These two images also participated in Mazatlan and where short 1 point from getting a merit, sooooo close! This is the album of a favorite wedding of mine, Thessa and Robert. I presented this album and the following images at the annual APPI convetion in Lisle Illinois. They all got awarded in the excellence category.

Amy and Jack, The Metropolis Ballroom, Arlington Heights

Amy and Jack's wedding was the last wedding of my 2009 season. Being an October wedding, my favorite time of the year, we hoped for a nice sunny day and we got instead a cloudy and rainy day. That didn't stop me from taking advantage of the good disposition of Amy and Jack to take them to the cold and wet environment of downtown Arlinton Heights to take some beautiful images. I love to shoot at the Metropolis ballroom, it's one of a kind hall on the second floor where the ceremony took place in the ballroom and while cocktails were being served, the staff rearranged the room as a banquet hall. The day went superb and I trully enjoyed all the 80's music that Amy and Jack personally picked for their party, they truly brouhgt the house down!
Thank you guys for your patience and dedication to your photography, I'll see you soon to see the rest of your images.

CanCun 2009

I recently spent a week in Cancun, Mexico with my brother's family. I refuse to be a photographer that photographs everybody's families except hers so, I dragged all my equipment to Cancun and on a beautiful day at sunset, we went to the beach and did a photo session. My brother returned the favor and photographed me and my better half the next morning under blasting sun, but you can't tell by the photos! Anyway, I will be going to Mexican beaches to do seminars and destination weddings and I will be offering photo sessions for whoever wants to have a beautiful portrait at the beach. I call them "OCEAN PORTRAITS". The following dates are confirmed for Ocean Portraits: October 10-12 in Mazatlan, Mexico and December 27-30 also in Mazatlan, Mexico. I will be in Cancun in January 2010 but dates are still to be confirmed. To inquire about OCEAN PORTRAITS and to make reservations, contact me via email or phone at photographer@argentinaleyva.com, 630-667-4633

Stefanie and Brandon, Marriot Resort, Oak Brook IL

It's the end of the wedding season for me and I closed my season with the beautiful wedding of Stefanie and Brandon. From the very beginning, it was a farie tale wedding that will be close to my heart for the longest. It was so emotional that I cried in several occasions with the family, I could have not asked for more! Stefanie and Brandon, I just want to keep photographing you for the rest of my life! Check my Facebook for a mini video with more images.

Thessa and Robert, Patrick Haley Mansion, Joliet

Thessa and Robert are a beautiful couple that I had the honor to photograph on their wedding day. It was a beautiful (and Hot!) June morning at the amazing Patrick Haley Mansion in Joliet, IL. After the wedding, we headed to downtown Chicago to do their portrait session and we had absolutely amazing images. We finished at their hotel, the Hyatt at the Magnificent mile before they went on their honeymoon. Thessa and Robert, I can only say, thank you so much for allocating so much time for your photos, I was really able to display all my artistic passion working with you, I plan to submit your wedding album to competition, so, thank you!

Crystal and Jelani, Chicago

I always have fun at weddings, but Crystal and Jelani's wedding was particularly a pleasure to photograph. They chose an intimate ceremony at city hall with their families, then headed to the Trump hotel to to change into their chic wedding clothes, the view from their suite was breathtaking. We spent almost two hours walking along the river and the magnificent mile hitting great locations for some amazing shots that wouldn't have been possible without the allocated time. Thank you Crystal and Jelani for caring so much about your photography, you are stunning!

Linda and Pierre, EnVent, Chicago

I had the priviledge of photographying the wedding of Linda and Pierre, an amazing couple with great taste and original ideas. They had a beautiful ceremony and reception at an amazing venue, EnVent, if you've never heard of it, check out their website, it's the perfect space with a lot of opportunities to get creative decorating this space, if you're having a winter wedding, you should realy look at this space. Linda and Pierre decided to have their photo session the next day and we spent about 2 hours creating amazing images in Chicago downtown, I enjoyed this day so much because I had another wedding in downtown the same day after their session, duble the fun! Thank you Linda and Pierre for loving your photography so much and, I felt realy privileged to work with you!

Kim and Dave

I opened my wedding season photographying the wedding of a really cool couple, Kim and Dave. We headed to Itasca downtown after the ceremony to take photos, the limo driver assumed I would be taking the photos at the local park (on my worse day would I stop at a park!) and decided to have some initiative on his own and drop the bridal party at the park where all the kids going to prom were taking pictures! Dave came to the rescue when I finally cought up with them and hussled everybody back into the limo and we headed to the train tracks and the entrance of a golf course that had a lovely creek and the sun set was really providing some amazing lighting. We lost precious time with the driver's good intentions and I had to really push everybody to get the amazing shots that really showed off the bride's maids' amazing blue dresses.
Thank you guys for giving me the opportunity to capture your day, I had a lot of fun and look forward delivering you wedding album! See a video in my You Tube page at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvjG7qhd5jQ